2019 IACAT Conference

Current IACAT President:

Mark Reckase (Michigan State University)

As I am sure you are all aware, there is now substantial interest in the use of computer technology to support the assessment of individuals in a widening array of cognitive and non-cognitive domains. These are very exciting times, and the International Association for Computerized Adaptive Testing (IACAT) has been in the forefront communicating advances in the field. In June 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA), we will again be hosting a meeting of the organization to present the newest ideas about technical advances and innovative applications of the methodology. We already have commitments from internationally recognized leaders in the field to give keynote addresses about their perspectives on the newest advances. We will also be honoring David Weiss at this meeting for his many years of contributions to computerized adaptive testing (CAT) and to the field of psychometrics in general. He will be giving a presentation on his views on work in this field.

The conference will also have workshops on a variety of topics and some planned symposia that highlight applications of computer technology to testing. In addition, there will be paper presentations by a cross section of persons working in the field. Please plan to make a submission so we can learn about your work. Finally, we are planning several interesting activities so that you can enjoy the beautiful areas around Minneapolis/St Paul. Please make your plans to come to the conference to honor David Weiss, learn about the newest innovations, and interact with colleagues who are working in this field. The IACAT Board is doing its best to make this an informative and enjoyable meeting.

Incoming IACAT President:

Alina von Davier (ACT, Inc.)

It is my sincere pleasure to welcome you to the 2019 IACAT Conference! This important and influential gathering, now in its 7th installment, will prove to be every bit as informative and engaging as its forerunners. It is fitting that we will gather in Minneapolis, home to the pioneering CAT work at the University of Minnesota led by David Weiss, who we are honored to have as a keynote speaker, along with Chun Wang and Steve Wise.

Much progress has been made since we gathered last in Japan in 2017, and as this conference has reached maturity, so has the integration of artificial intelligence applied for adaptation in testing and learning in the field of educational and psychological measurement. We have seen the growth of automated item generation, as well as increased emphasis on personalized and adaptive approaches to assessment and instruction. IACAT ’19 is sure to offer a broad view of this evolving landscape and inform your perspective on the emerging trends and opportunities in our collective areas of enquiry.

Despite the many advancements we have achieved since we last convened this meeting, challenges and opportunities remain. No matter if you are new to the field, or a seasoned veteran, this year’s workshops and symposia will present you with the unique occasion to see where this exciting work is heading and gain insights from leading members of the CAT and adaptive learning communities. As incoming IACAT President, it’s an honor to extend this invitation to join me in Minneapolis for the 7th IACAT conference, June 10-13, 2019. See you at #IACAT2019!

2019 Host:

Nathan Thompson (Assessment Systems Corporation)

ASC is honored to be selected as the host for the 2019 IACAT Conference. Our mission overlaps greatly with IACAT, as we were founded in 1979 as an effort to bring the CAT research at the University of Minnesota to more organizations by empowering them with user-friendly software platforms to develop assessments which align to best practices and sophisticated psychometrics.

I'd like to take the chance to personally welcome you to Twin Cities, one of the best places to live in the US. I came here in 2000 to study with Prof. David J. Weiss at the University of Minnesota, and have found it impossible to leave. While we are known for our frigid winters, we are also blessed with warm summers and absolutely glorious autumns. I hope you take advantage of the June weather to explore the metro; some of my suggestions are in the About the Twin Cities page on the left. Minneapolis is known as the City of Lakes for good reason, and it is also home to the only waterfall on the Mississippi (the waterpower of which it owes its existence). Saint Paul is less glamorous but no less welcoming; visit the State Capital, the Cathedral, or one of the many parks that line the riverfront.

I am quite excited about the conference itself, of course. IACAT remains my favorite conference because it has such a good balance of deep psychometric-algorithm research and practical applications, as well as the incredible group of people that it attracts. The 2019 edition will have an excellent program, with informative workshops, keynotes from internationally recognized researchers, and a full slate of presentations. In addition, we are planning some evening excursions on the river or to museums.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with me at nthompson@assess.com I hope to see you here in June!